Part III – Big Idea #1 Meets Survival of the Sickest on the NHS AP Biology Blog (40 points)


Due:  This Sunday, August 25th

I initially instructed you to post your essays as comments  to this blog post, but there has been a bit of an issue with that.  Please email me your essays by this Sunday, August 25th.

  

Read Chapters 1-4 of Survival of the Sickest

Big Idea 1 – The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
- Charles Darwin

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." - Theodosius Dobzhansky

“Evolution is no linear family tree, but change in the single multidimensional being that has grown to cover the entire surface of Earth.”
- Lynn Margulis 

 I would like you to write a brief essay that explains Big Idea #1 in your own words.  To adequately touch upon this concept you will likely need to write about 2 pages.  I know this is a vast topic.  You may write more than 2 pages, but don’t feel the need to compose a chapter on evolution.  Please keep in mind that I may run this writing assignment or any other that you post to this blog through plagiarism detection software.   I always want to see your own work.  Be proud of it. You are kind of awesome.  Respect.


In your analysis of Big Idea 1 and the quotes above I would like you to incorporate themes, ideas, and examples throughout chapters 1-4 of Survival of the Sickest.  Relate the book to these quotes and Big Idea 1.  Include a personal reflection on the book that includes your favorite or most interesting bits of information, such as something you may have told your friends or family about after reading it.  Be sure to include specific examples that demonstrate that you have read the book and show that you have done research.  Reading this book will help you think outside the box!  A topic does not have to specifically be in the evolution chapter to summarize the Big Idea!

Hang on to your copies of Survival of the Sickest.  We will be revisiting the last 4 chapters over February vacation during the Evolution Unit and may have a quiz on the first four chapters the first week of school.

The assignment is not due for a while (Sunday, August 25^th), but I would advise you to at least get started by jotting down some notes or drafting an outline on the computer to come back to sometime over the next week.  You will submit the assignment by posting a comment to this blog post. I would suggest first writing your paper in Microsoft Word and then copy/paste it into the comment box.  Make sure you save your own copies of everything just in case.  Don’t trust computers!  If you submit your assignment as a comment before the due date and it does not show up don’t freak out!  It will be sent to me first and I will post all of the essays at once on the due date.  If you do freak out:  1) Don’t panic 2) Breathe 3) Always feel free to email me with questions comments or concerns- I am here to help.
Big Idea 1 – The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
- Charles Darwin

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." - Theodosius Dobzhansky

“Evolution is no linear family tree, but change in the single multidimensional being that has grown to cover the entire surface of Earth.”
- Lynn Margulis




I have included the above quotes from three famous scientists to help you get started. Think about what is meant by these quotes by recalling what you have learned about in past life science courses and by doing some research on the subject. What do you think is meant by Big Idea # 1?

 
Be sure to include specific examples that show that you have done research. Think outside the box! A topic does not have to specifically be in the evolution chapter to help summarize the Big Idea!